Wednesday, 10 May 2017

BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday unveiled the logo and mascot (शुभंकर) of the Asian Athletics Championships scheduled here at Kalinga Stadium from July 6 to 9 in presence of athletic legends like P T Usha and Anju Bobby George. While the logo depicts an athlete crossing the finishing line with historical tourist attractions of Odisha in the backdrop, the mascot is named OLLY that represents the famous Olive Ridley sea turtle. Beaches of Odisha are a prime nesting site for these endangered sea turtles. Naveen also formally announced Bhubaneswar as the host for the international sports event. More than 700 athletes from nearly 45 countries would participate in 42 sports events during the four-day sports extravaganza(कल्पात्मक नाटक). "Bhubaneswar has emerged as a sought-after destination for international competitions. I am sure that the athletic championship will provide substantial(ठोस) exposure to our boys and girls who will be watching world champions in action," Naveen said on the occasion.

Naveen said Kalinga Stadium is being transformed into a world-class infrastructure facility for hosting international events as per the requirements of International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF). "All necessary steps are being taken to ensure a pleasant experience for the players, officials and visitors," Naveen said.

The state government would spend nearly Rs 43 crore for preparation of the grand event. The chief minister on the occasion also announced that Bhubnaeswar will also host the World Hockey League final in December and prestigious men's hockey world cup in December, next year.

Lauding the efforts of the state government, Adille J Sumariwalla, president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) thanked the state government for extending all helps to organize the event in the city.

"I can confidently say that the 22nd Asian Athletics Championship will be the best ever Asian athletics meet planned and delivered in such a short span of time," he said.

Sports minister Chandra Sarathi Behera, senior officials from AFI and state government attended the event at Kalinga .